This invention relates to a suitcase and more particularly to a suitcase and garment bag combination.
The packing and carrying of clothes so that they arrive at the destination in a relatively wrinkle-free condition has taxed the ingenuity of people who travel as well as people who design luggage for the people who travel. Attempts to provide wrinkle-free packing having resulted in suitcases or travel containers of a wide variety of designs.
The most simplistic of these designs involves a suitcase compartment into which the garments are folded. Tissue paper or plastic film can be employed between layers of garments to minimize wrinkling.
In another form of suitcase, an interior partition is provided over which the garment can be folded.
In another mode of packing, suits or dresses are packed in a separate garment bag while other articles of clothing and shoes are packed in the suitcase, the two being carried separately. Attempts have been made to attach the garment bag to the suitcase itself.
In still another form, the garment bag has been significantly enlarged and provided with compartments for articles of clothing other than the dresses and suits. This enlarged, elongated bag, when packed, is folded upon itself.
In still another garment bag type of luggage, a rigid pole projects through the middle of the garment bag and two suits are adapted to be hung on one side of it. Also hanging from the pole are compartmented sheets of material that hold shirts, socks and underwear.
Each of the foregoing designs has its advantages and disadvantages. The objective of the present invention has been to provide an improved suitcase that carries dresses or suits in the interior of the suitcase in a relatively wrinkle-free manner.
This objective of the invention has been attained by providing a suitcase having two compartments and a garment bag which is twice folded upon itself and mounted in one of the compartments.
The invention is primarily intended for weekend carryon luggage that is about 22.times.16.times.9 inches in overall dimension. It is to be understood that the concept of the invention can be employed with luggage of larger sizes. Further, it is preferred that the invention be applied primarily to soft-sided luggage, but it is to be understood that it could be employed with hard-sided luggage as well.
The suitcase has an internal partition that divides the suitcase into two compartments, one being about twice the size of the other. The smaller compartment contains the garment bag.
The garment bag itself has a rigid strap across its top. One side of the strap has a chain and hook, permitting the strap and its bag to be hung from a door or conventional bar in a closet. To the other side of the strap, within the confines of the garment bag, are hung one or more removable hangers, such as conventional wire hangers, for the garments.
The garment bag is preferably provided with mating Velcro fasteners at its lower edge and two-thirds of the length from the lower edge so as to permit the lower third of the garment bag to be folded upon the middle third of the garment bag and secured.
The relationships described herein have a number of advantages. To appreciate them, it is important to visualize the packing process. The empty garment bag is hung over the door. The rigid, horizontal strap holds the garment bag against sagging. Garments are placed on the removable hangers and hung on the eyelet provided on the rigid strip within the garment bag.
With the clothes hanging naturally and free of wrinkles, the bottom third of the garment bag is folded up and secured over the middle third of the garment bag. The folded bottom is then folded upon itself and the three ply garment bag is placed carefully in the small compartment of the suitcase provided for it. The rigid strap is attached to the upper edge of its compartment so that there will be no sagging within the garment bag. The outer wall of the suitcase is then zipped closed.
Because the garments were hanging by gravity in a wrinkle-free condition and thereafter folded about the walls of the garment bag, they will tend to remain wrinkle-free. The garment bag provides some stiffness to the folded pack, thereby preventing the bag and garments from sagging or crumpling upon itself within the suitcase compartment. The pack is packed compactly within the suitcase thereby facilitating the handling of the suitcase. The garments are protected by the outside walls of the suitcase.
At the destination, the garment bag can simply be hung, with the garments in it, on the bar of a closet. Preferably, however, the garments should be taken out of the garment bag and hung, by means of the hangers furnished with the garment bag, on the closet bar. Thus, if there are any incipient wrinkles, they should be quickly dissipated by the free hanging clothes.
If the volume of clothes to be carried is greater than can easily be accommodated in the larger compartment of the suitcase, such articles can be packed in both compartments and the garment bag can be carried as an extra item of luggage. Thus, the carryon luggage, suitable in normal operations for a long weekend, can be expanded into a two-piece luggage set for a longer stay.